France shooting: Timeline

Here is a timeline of events surrounding the shooting in the French Alps,
which left four dead.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images

3:59PM BST 06 Sep 2012

September 3: The family, including a father, mother and two young girls, arrive in Saint Jorioz to stay at Le Solitaire du Lac campsite near Lake Annecy.

September 5:

15.48 (13.48 BST): A former RAF veteran, who has a second home in Saint Jorioz, was riding his bicycle nearby when he was overtaken by a French cyclist. After riding into the car park, seven-year-old Zainab stumbled towards him before collapsing.

The man alerted the emergency services and performed first aid on the girl. He also reportedly smashed the window of the locked car, which still had its engine running. The bodies of a man, in the driver's seat, and two women, in the back of the car, were inside.

Witnesses claimed to see a car speeding away from the scene around the time of the attack.

Firemen were first on the scene, followed by police and technicians but the car was not entered over fears that forensic evidence might be lost.

Firemen were first to arrive on the scene and found the three bodies in the car

23.00 (21.00 BST): Police learn that the couple had a second child with them after speaking with campers at Le Solitaire du Lac in Saint Jorioz. A helicopter and search dogs were scrambled, and infrared technology was deployed to find her.

September 6:

00.00 (22.00 BST, September 5): Officers "break with protocol" and open the doors of the car to find a four-year-old girl hiding beneath her dead mother's legs. "She could not tell the difference between the good guys and bad guys. She began to smile and speak in English when the policeman took her in his arms and pulled her out of the car," said prosecutor, Eric Maillaud.

11.44 (09.44 BST): The French cyclist found dead near the BMW is named as Sylvain Mollier, a father-of-three in his 40s, who worked for metal firm Cezus and lived in Ugine.

Gendarmes and investigators stand at the camp site where the slain British family were holidaying in Saint Jorioz, near Annecy.

15.00 (13.00 BST): The owner of the car is named as Saad Al Hilli, 50, from Claygate, Surrey. Mr Maillaud tells reporters that three of the victims – the French cyclist, the man and the older woman – were shot in the head.

The younger woman was identified as Mr Al Hilli's wife Iqbal and children Zainab, seven, and Zeena, four. Swedish authorities confirmed the older woman had a Swedish passport.